By Mikayla van Loon
Residents and business owners have been notified by Yarra Ranges Council of potential disruptions along Anderson Street in Lilydale as bike lanes are added to the road.
The section between Maroondah Highway and Gardiner Street will see bike lanes provided on both sides of the road.
The Council’s environment and infrastructure director Mark Varmalis said a dedicated bike lane will be included on the western side of the road, while a shared bike and parking lane will be installed on the eastern side of the road.
“This will be the first area to have formal bike lanes in Lilydale. Bicycle users can ride on any road, regardless of lanes, but we believe the marked lanes will help improve rider safety around the shopping centre and school in Lilydale,” he said.
A letter received by nearby businesses on 2 June said the “layout of the traffic lane along Anderson Street will continue to allow safe merging of the two northbound traffic lanes from Maroondah Highway.”
The two southbound lanes that currently allow drivers to queue at the traffic lights will be unchanged.
Works are expected to begin on Sunday 19 June and have been scheduled to be undertaken overnight from 8pm to 6am for up to four nights.
“As the surface materials cannot be installed in wet weather, works may be delayed if heavy rains are forecasted overnight,” the letter read.
Residents and businesses have been advised that the road needs to be clear of all obstructions and suggest minimising the use of Anderson Street, park cars away from the road reserve and observe the instructions of traffic controllers.
Noise will be kept to a minimum after 10pm, with the noisiest parts of the works done prior to that time.
The bike lanes will be highlighted on the road by a green surface treatment made from Australian recycled-glass combined with a resin-binder to be durable and skid-resistant. Line marking will identify the dedicated spaces for road users.
Mr Varmalis said the Council’s recent Integrated Transport Strategy identified that many of the trips people make within their day are only short, sometimes less than two kilometres.
“If we can help construct and improve infrastructure to encourage walking and cycling, we can help reduce congestion and encourage community members to enjoy their towns in new ways,” he said.
“We hope to add to the bicycle lane network in coming years, as we plan more infrastructure improvements around Lilydale.”
The project has been funded by a Sustainability Victoria grant in Yarra Ranges Council’s 2021-22 capital expenditure program.
